the Wyoming less traveled

[Jared]

As some of you know I recently took a motorcycle trip to San Diego.  On the way there, I found out that all the stories you've heard about I-80 are TRUE!
Between Rawlins and Rock Springs was some of the most difficult riding I've done (which isn't saying too much since I'm still pretty newbish, but, STILL! ) --- the wind blows so hard, and the semi trucks are so numerous ... it's just, just a real unpleasant experience.  So much so, that from the hotel in Evanston I posted on a motorcycle forum begging for tips to help ride in wind.  Most people around the country agreed that it is a really crappy stretch of highway due to the high wind, and many people don't like it even in cars.  (However the scenery is really quite pretty, especially around Green River).

Anyway, the result being that I took a DIFFERENT route on the way home.

From Rock Springs I headed north to Farson.

Got some of their famous ice cream, and darned if it didn't live up to the reputation!  I had a double of mint chocolate chip and rocky road.  The mint chocolate chip was a good, solid offering.  Performed how you'd expect mint choc chip to perform, and I can certainly recommend it.  However the Rocky Road was AMAZING!  Super creamy chocolate ice cream, the perfect ratio of marshmallows and nuts, mmmmmmm delicious.


From there it was on to Lander and then Riverton.  The road between Lander and Riverton is BEAUTIFUL!  There were at least 3 major terrain features that I'm kicking myself now for not stopping to take pics of.  One was this neat old quarry that was right next to the road -- you could see all the terracing and different colors of rock.  Then there was this ginormous green valley that was straight out of The Sound Of Music.  I definitely need to go back and snap some pics for my photo album.

Riverton to Casper is a pretty standard drive.  This marks the third time I've driven past Hell's Half-acre and haven't stopped.   Seems I've always got some place to be.  Ach, next time!


All-in-all it was a very nice drive and I'm glad I got to travel through some areas I might not otherwise have.  I often get locked into that freeway mentality and forget there are some very nice highway drives that don't really take that much longer and have a big payoff on the quality of the trip.

[MamaLiberty]

Welcome home! Glad you got home safe. Can't wait to see the photos you did take.

[Future/Now]

I've generally found the less-traveled routes in life to be more interesting than the alternative. There's also another way to Casper on route 287/789/287/220 after it splits east from the 28 north of Atlantic City, that roughly follows the Oregon Trail for a while. Definitely 2 roads I'll have to check out.

[Jack-O]

what did you ride?

[Jared]

my KLR650 (the AK of bikes ) --
 

[Paul Bonneau]

Looks kinda top-heavy there, Jared.    I can see why this trip took it outa you.

Yeah, stay off the freeways. Especially with that bike, you can even look at gravel roads. Of course not for long distances...

I used to sneer at Honda Goldwings, but as I get older they seem to make a lot of sense. 

[wyomiles]

Guess you didn't refer to my wyomiles roadtrip essay ?

[marciab]

I have travelled the road to and from San Diego every year for the past 40 years.  The road from Farson to Riverton is my favorite part.  Are those eucalyptus trees I see in the background?

[bobcat]

GREAT bike, Jared.  It's been on my wish list for a while...  A great bike for day trips into the hinterlands.

Sounds like you had a great bike trip.  I'm green with envy.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

And yes, no wonder you struggled with the wind on that bike and especially packed up the way it is, not that there is an alternative to get all that stuff on there.  Wow, must have been really exhausting to get in a full days ride.  400m or so?

Even a nice road bike is a toughy in the wind.  We find traveling early morning and late evening avoids a lot of the mid-day wind.  Saving that, get the heck off the interstate.  It's raised 'exposure' design and the huge number of semi's these days makes any motorcycle ride on them a challenge.

The older I get the more I appreciate a smoooooth ride, frame mounted fairings that shield from my toes to my hands and a windscreen to the tip of my helmet.  It's quieter, no buffeting and you get fewer bugs in your teeth.   And if it rains, you aren't pressed to stop right away and put on the rain suit.   

[Jared]

Ya, 4-600 depending on the day.  Reminding myself to "stay loose" really helped with the wind, and I had more stuff on the bike for the ride back so that helped keep me planted too.
In terms of organizing it differently, hard bags would help me keep more stuff on the sides, but it will be a while 'til I go that route so for now it's just about piling it on top!
And yeah I will definitely focus more on highways than freeways in the future.

[archy]

what did you ride?

my KLR650 (the AK of bikes ) --

Nyet, Gospodin Jared. That description more properly belongs to a Russian motorbike,
specifically the Ural copy of the German military BMW sidehack rig, known as a *Cossack*
to Russian bikers.



No, I don't have one, and wouldn't want one particularly, except that a tinkerer in
Alaska has managed to shoehorn a Diesel engine into one, which is mildly interesting.

If I get my druthers and things work out right, I may be doing my Cowboy State riding
on a shiny new Triumph Scrambler, though it's not yet certain that my nearest dealer
can get me one with the factory paint job I want. I would settle for a http://www.motofoto.cc/DSC_7150.jpg #32 version, however.

[Paul W. Allen]

Jared, next time turn off at Louis Lake turn off and take the Loop Road if you get a chance. Those are about the best reasons I can think of for living here in Fremont county. I should also mention Dubois and the high country. Can Wyoming get any better? Glad you had a great trip. PS... You're not missing much at Hell's Half acre. I saw plenty of it years ago when I was an extra fo Starship Troopers. As my wife says, Its so ugly its beautiful. Paul

[alpine476ad]

jared---

I just bought an 08' KLR, love it.  Its heavier than previous years, (386 lbs dry) and a little more geared toward street riding as opposed to off road.    One thing that helps with the wind is an aftermarket windshield, or an extension piece for the stock one.  The KLR stock one is just tall enough to funnel all of the wind right into your face, with an extension it will send it over your helmet which will reduce wind noise and rider fatigue on a long haul.  What brand saddle bags do you have on yours?  What kind of gas mileage did you get on the san diego run? 

[Jared]

The saddlebags are Kawasaki according to the inner label, they were on the bike when I got it.

I've never gotten good gas mileage with this one ... low 40's is typical, and some tanks I get high 30's.
This week as a test I filled up and granny drove it for 120 miles and got it up to 49 but I'm not sure I can handle that style of driving for so little gains.   I'm hopefully going to adjust the valves next week, and I've heard that helps.

My friend just got an '08 and he loves it!  'course he's already cracked the right fairing from a few get offs, but heck that's why we drive KLR's not Beemers right?

[alpine476ad]

heck that's why we drive KLR's not Beemers right?

I actually sold a 1971 BMW 750 and bought the KLR!!  Always loved the dual sports, I also own a 1979 Yamaha XT 500, great classic (?) bike, still do a lot of off-roading with it, although getting a little tired of the kick start.